Skittery's Story
by Stripey Purple Socks
Summary: A little exert into Skittery's life before Newsies. *WARNING* will contain mild m/m slash. Nothing Smutty. *Huggles the fluffy slash* :D
1. Life so far...

Skittery's Story  
'Skittery' was what they had always called him, ever since he could remember. He had been such a happy-go-lucky child, not a care in the world, bumbling through life, forgetting and breaking things wherever he went. He never got in trouble for it though, they would all say "Oh, it's just Skittery, he can't help it!" All his friends and family loved him for it; it was who he was.   
He had come from an average working class family, typical of New York city. Life seemed to not be giving him a bad set of cards until the harsh winter hit and took his father. Even thinking about it now, five years later, it was hard. He could see his father's face when he closed his eyes, his mouth breaking into that smile that Skittery himself had inherited. Not that there was much to smile about nowadays. Well, his family had survived, thanks to his elder brother Fred who had taken on the role of a father figure to the younger children, and provided a role model for Skittery.   
Fred had gone out and got a job, realising that with a weak mother and seven hungry mouths to feed it was his duty, as eldest. Starting off as an office boy for the New York Journal he had impressed them so much with his eagerness and hard work that he had worked his way up to be a small story reporter. It wasn't ground-breaking stuff but it was a steady job that didn't pay too badly at all. And it had provided enough to live.   
He seemed perfect, providing for his family, but there was a side to him that only Skittery saw. Being the only two boys in the family they had always fought, but as Fred was both older and stronger he took full advantage. Skittery's body was rarely without bruises, even now.   
He had had enough of no-one respecting him. Enough of Fred. He needed to prove that he could do it too, get a job and not have to rely on that bully for food.  
That was why he was here, standing outside a newsboy lodging house in the middle of Manhattan. Scared of what was ahead, scared that he wouldn't be accepted by these strangers. And yet, he was powered with excitement and wonder. Maybe this would be the start of something big......  
  



	2. The First Meeting

Silence surrounded him as he walked into the large empty hall. It was almost as if the house was deserted. Was he in the right place? Skittery wasn't sure. Maybe he should come back later. Then, just as he was about to leave footsteps came from the room behind him. Relieved, he turned around to greet the stranger. It was a boy, just younger than himself with pale blond hair and the most amazing eyes he had ever seen. Surprised at that bizarre thought, he reached out his hand.  
  
"Hey there. This is the lodging house ain't it?"  
  
The blond boy just stared at him.  
  
"Uh, excuse me, I'se in the right place ain't I?"  
  
This time Skittery could see a rosy colour come to the blond's pale cheeks.  
  
"Uh, sorry" said the blond, "You'se kinda caught me by suprise, I thought everyone was out carryin' da banner" He looked at the floor feeling embarrassed. "This is da lodging house alright." He finally shook Skittery's outstretched hand. "You new then?" he asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. Skittery was surprised at how awkward this was, it wasn't as if he was talking to one of the pretty little girls he saw hanging around the park.  
  
"Yeah, I'se come to work as a newsie. Heard this was the place to stay." He noticed the blond boy's eyes light up.  
  
"Yeah, it certainly is that. Um, Kloppman ain't around at the moment, he usually deals with the new guys. I guess I could take ya around 'til he comes back. No point in ya being alone..." the blond boy trailed off, looking at the floor.  
  
"Uh, yeah that'd be... great... I guess." Skittery didn't know what to say. "I'm Skittery by the way. I didn't quite catch your name..." The blond boy looked even more embarrassed. Was Skittery saying something wrong?  
  
"Um, sorry, call me Dutchy... I... uh... never mind..." He started to walk towards the door so, apprehensively, Skittery followed. Why was that first meeting so weird? Surely all the newsies weren't like that...  
  
As he walked through the door he smiled to himself. Actually, he wish they were. 


	3. Meeting the guys

The two boys walked silently down the dirty Manhattan street, neither could think of anything to say that wouldn't make them look stupid. All Skittery could think of was what a great guy Dutchy seemed to be, and that this whole go at being a newsboy was so much more successful than he could have ever imagined. Well, it was only the beginning, and he could....  
His thoughts were broke off by the blond boy stopping in front of him. "This is Tibby's, s'where all us guys hang out when we ain't carryin' the banner."   
As they entered, the buzz of energy hit them, there were guys of all ages sitting around drinking water, chatting, playing cards and generally socialising. Skittery had never been in that sort of environment before and he suddenly turned bright red.  
"Hey guys, this is Skittery, he's come ta live at the lodging house with us... he's gonna be a newsie!" Dutchy made this announcement as if he'd known Skittery for years, he was already treating him like a friend. Suddenly a crowd of curious newsies surrounded Skittery, greeting him, welcoming him to Manhattan.   
  
"Hey, welcome. I'se Specs."  
  
"So, u'se gonna be a newsie... They call me Race, I'se got a hot tip on a horse, won't waste your money..."  
  
"Uh, hi. Bumlets."  
  
One newsie stepped forward, a tall guy, around 17, a cowboy hat hanging around his neck.   
  
"They call me cowboy. Jack's my real name. Jack Kelly. What was you called?"  
  
Skittery looked nervously around him.   
  
"It's Skittery. Uh, always has been, I guess always will be..." What an idiot, he thought to himself. Why did he always have to act dumb when other guys were around...  
  
"Well Skittery" the younger guy said, spitting on his hand, and offering it to Skittery. "Nice ta meet ya" Skittery returned the favour. It was all going so well!   
  
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he could see two guys in the corner, huddled together. He could see they were talking about him by the way they kept looking at him, then at Dutchy, and then laughing. What was the problem?? Did they have a problem with Dutchy? Did they have a problem with him?   
As he walked out of Tibby's trailing behind a small gang of newsies, , he forgot his worries and ran to catch up with Dutchy. At least one person seemed to like him... 


	4. Unexpected evening

That evening, the newsies were lying around, playing cards and doing other stuff that newsies do (?!). Skittery was sitting with a group, watching them play some card game he had never heard of, but even in this crowd he felt somehow alone... "Hey there Skits" a familiar voice came from behind him. As he turned he saw just who he had been thinking about. Dutchy. A big grin broke out on his face. "Hey Dutchy, been wond'rin where you's been!" He could feel himself turning tomato red as the words left his mouth. The blond newsie seemed a little nervous about something, a little on edge. "Was wondering if you could come and see something I made..." Now it was Dutchy's turn to look embarrassed, as the rest of the crowd dropped into a silence. All eyes were on the two of them, most of them accompanied with sly smirks. "Uh... sure." Skittery stood up and left the room as quickly as possible. He just wanted to get away from the others, they seemed so spiteful all the time, and he had't even done anything wrong! "What was with those guys?" he asked his friend. "Do they have some sort of problem with you?" He looked expectantly at Dutchy, only to find the other guy averting his gaze. "Uh, Skits... I... well... they jus' don't like me... that's all..." he trailed off, and turned into the bunkroom. As Skittery passed through the door, he could see that no one was in there, it was too early after all, the other newsies were still having fun downstairs or out on the streets. The Blond boy led him over to his bunk and pulled a piece of card from under the bed. As Skittery looked at it, he could just about make out the scruffy handwriting, and it said "Welcome Skittery to the Newsies" and a hand-drawn picture of a boy with messy brown hair and a big grin. Dutchy looked bashfully at the floor. "I made it myself, with the help of Kloppman... he's glad ta have you here too." Skittery didn't know what to say. He'd never had such kindness from anybody, and he certainly hadn't expected to when he arrived in Manhattan. "Oh Dutchy!" Skittery flung his arms around him and gave him the biggest hug. Suddenly, realising what he'd done, and that he'd probably made a complete fool of himself , he withdrew from him. "Uh, sorry, that was kinda spontaneous..." he was cut off mid-sentence by Dutchy. The next thing he knew, his eyes were closed, and a pair of soft lips were on his. 


End file.
